Libertarian to run for Pa. State Senate in special election
Libertarian to run for Pennsylvania Senate in special election. For Immediate Release: Rauterkus for State Senate 412-481-2540 mark04@Rauterkus.com www.lppgh.org December 20, 2004 Libertarian to run for Pennsylvania Senate in special election. By Daniel Cloud, editor, www.lp.org Mark Rauterkus, a Libertarian activist in Pittsburgh, Pa., has been nominated to run for the state Senate in an upcoming special election. The Democrat incumbent in District 42, Sen. Jack Wagner, was elected state auditor general in November, and will resign his Senate post on Jan. 18. Rauterkus was nominated to run for the position -- and was unanimously approved -- at the Dec. 12 meeting of the Pennsylvania Libertarian Party's Allegheny County Committee. This will be the highest profile race in Pennsylvania in 2005, said Tim Crowley, chairman of the Allegheny County LP. "Pennsylvania took a step forward today," said Rauterkus, "because we now have a candidate from outside the established political machines. My candidacy will provide citizens and taxpayers some new ideas and perspectives representing their interests." Rauterkus, a Pittsburgh South Side resident, is no stranger to politics. In 2001, he was runner-up for the GOP nomination for mayor of Pittsburgh, and he used the opportunity to build alliances throughout the area. Later he changed his party affiliation to Libertarian and he was recently elected as a 2005 board member of the Allegheny County LP. In 2004, the 45-year-old swim coach has worked with local groups to search for private funding for closed city recreational facilities. In his acceptance speech, Rauterkus promised to put the interests of the taxpayer above those of corporate and government interests. As a first move toward fiscal responsibility, Rauterkus has proposed a money-saving idea regarding the special election -- the date of which has not been set, said Rich Loether, treasurer of the county LP. Rather than wasting about $200,000 of the taxpayers' money to hold a special election for the Senate seat, Rauterkus is calling for the state "to schedule the District 42 special election on the same day as the state primary, May 17, instead of earlier in 2005." "I know that will increase opposition turnout and make the election harder for me, but I cannot in good conscience sit silently and cost taxpayers unnecessary expense," he said. In addition to declaring his candidacy for Senate, Rauterkus is currently fighting a bill proposed by Pittsburgh City Councilman Bill Peduto, who wants to limit campaign contributions to candidates for city office. The measure calls for a $2,000 limit on individual contributions to candidates in a four-year election cycle; the offices of mayor, controller and the nine-member city council would be affected. Pittsburgh residents were able to voice their views on the proposed bill after Rauterkus started a petition drive that collected enough signatures to force the city council to hold a public hearing on the issue. End of press release --------------------------------------------- Founded in 1971, the Libertarian Party is the third largest political party in Allegheny County, in Pennsylvania and in the nation. There are over 500 elected and appointed Libertarians currently serving nationwide, 70 here in Pennsylvania. Libertarians believe that you have an inalienable right to conduct your life as you see fit, without interference, so long as you respect the rights and property of others. For more information about the Libertarian Party, contact the Libertarian Party of Allegheny County at www.lppgh.org (412-553-6464) or the National Libertarian Party at www.lp.org (202-333-0008).